Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan, The Voice of OC’s Food Columnist Part One
Segment Three: Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan, The Voice of OC’s Food Columnist Part Two
Segment Four: Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, Head of Culinary Arts, Princess Cruises Part One
Segment Five: Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, Head of Culinary Arts, Princess Cruises Part Two
Segment Six: Alex Weiser, Weiser Family Farms, Tehachapi, CA Part One
Segment Seven: Alex Weiser, Weiser Family Farms, Tehachapi, CA Part Two
Segment Eight: “Ask the Chef” with Co-host Chef Andrew Gruel
We’re previewing the show with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris.
Anne Marie Panoringan is Voice of OC’s well-informed food columnist. She reports industry news, current events and trends. The column publishes every other Friday. Anne Marie joins us in-studio to talk about her recent experience in Chicago attending the James Beard Foundation’s Media Awards honoring excellence in Books, Broadcast Media and Journalism. She also shares some of her Chicago dining adventures. Additionally we’ll highlight some of her recent columns.
“Chef Rudi Sodamin is the newly installed Head of Culinary Arts for Princess Cruises. Sodamin also serves as the Master Chef for sister cruise line, Holland America Line. Throughout his career, Sodamin has been the driving force behind revolutionizing culinary practices and elevating the perception of fine dining in the cruise industry. An internationally-respected food authority, Sodamin is possibly the most highly-decorated chef working on the world’s oceans and is widely considered one of the most innovative, energetic, and influential chefs in the hospitality industry. Among his most recent accomplishments has been the highly successful launch of Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant onboard three Holland America Line’s ships.” Chef Rudi Sodamin is our guest with a fresh Alaskan salmon at the ready.
“Weiser Family Farms began in 1977 when Sid Weiser, a chemistry teacher and counselor at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles decided to pack up the family and follow his dream of working off the land. Sidney and his wife Raquel laid down roots in Tehachapi, California. There, they learned to tend to the fruit trees… apples, peaches, and pears. In the ensuing years, they acquired farmland in other locations where they branched out into a variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. In 1982 their son Alex jumped in to assist the family in selling at local Farmers’ Markets. There he encountered chefs, the public and specialty produce buyers who wanted seasonal, high quality and superior tasting produce. Listening to this input, Alex began to focus on creating a bio-diverse farm dedicated to applying sustainable farming techniques. His overriding desire was to supply people with unique fruits and vegetables at their peak, rather than picked for commercial usage. 2nd generation family farmer, Alex Weiser joins us.
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries. There is a new law in California that mandates all bar and restaurant employees serving alcohol to obtain a new certification. It involves a training of three to four hours and then passing an open book test. We’ll get Chef Andrew’s thoughts on this and the reality of actually meeting the August 31st deadline.
All of this and heaping helpings of extra deliciousness on this week’s not-to-miss show!
Anne Marie Panoringan is Voice of OC’s well-informed food columnist. She reports industry news, current events and trends. The column publishes every other Friday.
Anne Marie joins us in-studio to talk about her recent experience in Chicago attending the James Beard Foundation’s Media Awards honoring excellence in Books, Broadcast Media and Journalism. She also shares some of her Chicago dining adventures.
In her June 3rd column Anne Marie recounts her participation in a cooking program (MaxLove’s Fierce Foods Academy) geared toward cancer patients and their families, but, along the way, learned how its overall theme is much more universal.
“Chef Rudi Sodamin is the newly installed Head of Culinary Arts for Princess Cruises. Sodamin also serves as the Master Chef for sister line, Holland America Line.”
“Throughout his career, Sodamin has been the driving force behind revolutionizing culinary practices and elevating the perception of fine dining in the cruise industry. An internationally-respected food authority, Sodamin is likely the most highly-decorated chef working on the world’s oceans and is widely considered one of the most innovative, energetic, and influential chefs in the hospitality industry. Among his most recent accomplishments has been the highly successful launch of Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant onboard three Holland America Line’s ships.”
Alaska cruise season is on now through September. As part of Princess Cruises’ award-winning “North to Alaska program” Rudi oversees their “Wild for Alaska Seafood” effort. This industry-first, location-based seafood initiative features an extensive menu rotation of fresh Alaska seafood dishes, along with destination-inspired cocktails including flights of Alaska spirits sourced from local distilleries. Also on offer are hand-picked, sommelier selection premium wine pairings to go with Alaska seafood dishes.
“I see food as the way to our guests’ hearts, and the individuals on the Princess Cruise culinary team bring great heart to what they do and take tremendous pride in their work,” said Sodamin “My goal is to grow that pride and lead the culinary workforce to new performance heights through innovative approaches to teamwork and creativity, collaboratively creating new signature interactive dining experiences, and motivating this talented team to new levels of culinary artistry.”
Chef Rudi Sodamin is our guest with a fresh Alaskan salmon at the ready.
“Weiser Family Farms began in 1977 when Sid Weiser, a chemistry teacher and counselor at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles decided to pack up the family and follow his dream of working off the land. Sidney and his wife Raquel laid down roots in Tehachapi, California. There, they learned to tend to the fruit trees… apples, peaches, and pears. In the ensuing years, they acquired farmland in other locations where they branched out into a variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.”
“In 1982 their son Alex jumped in to assist the family in selling at local Farmers’ Markets. There he encountered chefs, the public and specialty produce buyers who wanted seasonal, high quality and superior tasting produce. Listening to this input, Alex began to focus on creating a bio-diverse farm dedicated to applying sustainable farming techniques. His overriding desire was to supply people with unique fruits and vegetables at their peak, rather than picked for commercial usage. Today, Weiser Family Farms grows in the Greater Bakersfield area, Tehachapi and the Lucerne Valley, cultivating a tapestry of high- quality produce year round.”
“Older brother Dan joined the family business in 2001, after a long stint with The Walt Disney Co. Dan, a graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, brought with him a real-world business sensibility to the farm that has helped bring the overall operation to the next level. Not long after Dan came aboard, older sister Esther left her established teaching career to help keep her knuckle-headed brothers in line. Her common sense approach and no nonsense communication style help to keep everything in focus and moving forward.”
Weiser Family Farms is, and has always been, a family farming entity in the true sense of the word. When you buy from Weiser, you are truly buying from The Weiser Family.
Weiser Family Farms’ seasonal produce is available at their stands at area Farmers Markets including Santa Monica on Wednesday and Saturday, and on Sundays in Beverly Hills and Mar Vista.
Alex Weiser is our guest with Purple Majesty Potatoes in hand.
Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries.
There is a new law in California that mandates all bar and restaurant employees serving alcohol to obtain a new, special certification. It involves a training of three to four hours and then passing an open book test. At present there are very few entities certified to administer the course. We’ll get Chef Andrew’s thoughts on this and the reality of actually meeting the August 31st deadline.
Podcasts
Segment One: Show Preview with Executive Producer & Co-Host Andy Harris
Segment Two: Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan, The Voice of OC’s Food Columnist Part One
Segment Three: Journalist Anne Marie Panoringan, The Voice of OC’s Food Columnist Part Two
Segment Four: Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, Head of Culinary Arts, Princess Cruises Part One
Segment Five: Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, Head of Culinary Arts, Princess Cruises Part Two
Segment Six: Alex Weiser, Weiser Family Farms, Tehachapi, CA Part One
Segment Seven: Alex Weiser, Weiser Family Farms, Tehachapi, CA Part Two
Segment Eight: “Ask the Chef” with Co-host Chef Andrew Gruel
